Nine-year-old Marco Ybarra earned several state gymnastic championship titles at the March 16 meet in Albuquerque.

Ybarra is the grandson of Deacon Mike and Terry Ybarra of Polvadera and a third grader at St. Thomas Aquinas School in Rio Rancho.

He competed in the USA Gymnastics Jr. Olympics New Mexico Boys State Championship meet in Albuquerque. He competed in the Level 6, division for 9- and 10-year-olds. Ybarra won the state champion title in all six events: Pommel Horse, Rings, High Bar, Floor, Vault and Parallel Bars. He also won the all-around state champion title for the fourth time in a row. This win qualifies him to compete in the Region 9 Championship Meet in April.

Ybarra started gymnastics at the age of 3 and started competing at the age of 5. Since then, he’s competed in New Mexico, Texas, Colorado and Arizona while winning over 150 medals.

Ybarra trains four days a week, three hours a day, at Eagle Ridge Gymnastics in Rio Rancho. His goal is to make the USAG Jr. Olympic National team in a few years so he can travel and compete in international meets. He then plans on making the Penn State University or Air Force Academy gymnastics team and someday qualify for the 2020 or 2024 USA Olympic Team.